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How many cute little succulents have you wasted money on because it seems like your green thumb isn’t so green? If you’re the kind of person that likes pretty, low maintenance, natural decor then this is a good read for you! Indoor plants don’t just look pretty in the window, plants turn CO2 into oxygen improving the air quality in the space. As well as induce positive changes in the brain’s electrical activity, muscle tension, and heart activity, according to The Green Hub . Fun fact, you talk positively around plants, they grow healthier and happier! 10- The Palms (Raphis + Areca) This indoor plant is good for the l ow maintenance people out there. This tropical plant derived from Madagascar, grows quite easily in low-light conditions, and doesn’t require natural sunlight! You can pop this miniature tree on your work desk, kitchen countertops, or even a dark nook that could use some color and the plant will happily grow! 9- The Lipstick Algonema This is a foliage plant from t he Araceae family that adds volume, texture, and a pop of color into any space. Despite being a foliage plant, this is a more slow-growing plant. Keeping this beautiful, leafy plant alive is as simple as just keeping the soil consistently moist. Meaning, you’ll only need to pay some attention to it every few days! 8- The Snake Plant The Snake Plant from Western Africa, is named after its long, slender, and deep green leaves, the Snake Plant really doesn’t require sunlight at all. It can survive a bit of neglect on your part while still thriving like it had a ll your attention. If you don’t have a balcony or live in a place with little natural light, maybe the SnakePlant is a good alternative for you to bring a lovely piece of nature into your home. 7- Spider Plants If you’d like to give a little to get a little, then this kill-proof plant is the one for you! As long as the sprawling plant is kept healthy by regularly watering it and kept in a pot accommodating to the size of the plant itself, it will give back to you by improving the air quality in the space! 6- Bamboo As versatile as it gets when it comes to indoor plants, the Bamboo plant from Asia, can grow in virtually any environment: water, soil, low light conditions, dry climates etc. This aesthetically pleasing little species has no demands of you, it’s extremely easy to grow and take care of while also bringing you an abundance of luck! 5- Aloe The plant that keeps on giving! Another species of plant where if you give it what it needs, it’ll soothe you in your most irritable moments. These gorgeous, pine like plants can be grown in an array of environments like subtropical regions and your window sill. They also look good potted with other plants! When an Aloe plant is healthy, you can utilize its pulp to help ease the irritation of sunburn, and minor insect bites. 4- Norfolk Island Pine Does the idea of your own miniature Evergreen Forest intrigue you? Then a small collection of these pine plants are just the selection for you! Discovered on an uninhabited island close to Australia, these plants will slowly grow into small trees with moistened soil. Want a unique Christmas tree? Hang origami, homemade ornaments, and popcorn chains on them to decorate your home-grown, unique, Christmas Tree! 3- Christmas Cactus Grown in the coastal mountains of South-Eastern Brazil, these beautiful, seasonal cacti are a perfect alternative for someone looking to bring some color into their home during the cloudy, winter months. The bright pink of the petals contrasts nicely with the bright white of the snow or the gloomy grayness of the clouds. You can almost forget about watering them. Christmas Cacti are happiest in dry soil making it one of the best plants for us who pay no mind to taking care of plants, but want a touch of scenic greenery. 2- The Pancake Plant The Pancake Plant is named for its rounded leaves protruding off of long, skinny stems. The Pancake Plant, coming from the Urticaceae plant family, can help to add a modern touch into any room! In Chinese culture, these plants are considered lucky and are thought to give prosperity and wealth to the owner! These plants can survive in a range of room temperatures and climates while only needing to be watered every couple of days! This low-maintenance, flowy plant is perfect for a sunny room that’s in need of some cha racter. 1- The ZZ Plant A classic for the lazy plant parents out there! This plant from Kenya, only requires water every few weeks, and can survive in any sunlight conditions. If you would like to put up some pretty decor and be able to forget about it, then the Zamioculcas Zamiifolia plant is the perfect pick for you! This species can add a relaxed aesthetic to your space that can help add an easy-going feel. Growing anywhere from 2 to 4 feet high, this is a great way to bring some life into any space!

In light of recent educational suppression, East Assistant principal Cameron Browne was, “Sadly, Not surprised” by Florida's recent attempts to shroud educational courses from their students. Most recently, a ban on AP African American history in Florida public schools. The words uttered by Mr. Browne seem to be spoken more often than usual. Florida's recent attempts at obscuring content from its residents have been the cause of national outcry among education leaders, Including Denver East. In August of 2022, College Board, the non-profit organization that oversees Advanced Placement classes nationwide, announced the frameworks for a new A.P. African American Studies course. Following the consultation of professors from over 200 universities, the class was completed in December and has since been piloted in 60 different schools across the country with the plan to release the course for the 2024-25 school year. While East was initially primed to be a pilot school, the decision was ultimately made to forgo the course until the 24/25 school year, after minimal information was released surrounding the course. On January 12, Florida’s Department of Education vowed to ban the class, claiming it, “inexplicably contrary to Florida law and significantly lacks educational value”(CNN). More recently, on February 14th Desantis enlightened the idea of removing all ties with the college board, including AP courses and the SAT. This comes as no surprise, following Ron Desantis’s signing of the Stop Woke act, in April, which severely limited schools' ability to teach or discuss sensitive topics such as race, gender, and critical race theory. The actions of Florida's Department of Education sparked outrage around the country, including from Florida's very own Fentrice Driskell. The Democratic leader from Florida's House of Representatives stated, “He [Ron Desantis] wants to control what our kids can learn based on politics, and not sound policy. He repeatedly attacks the first amendment rights of Floridians with books being banned from libraries and classrooms and now throwing his weight against this AP African American History course”(Time.com). While Fentrice Driskell can express her displeasure to a national audience, many who coincide with her ideas do not have such a following. Among those disheartened by Desantis’s actions is East’s Assistant principal, Cameron Browne. Mr. Browne finds the actions of Ron Desantis and Florida's educational board to be based on a “misguided idea” about the effect certain content may have on students, and in the, “best interest of a particular set of students.” Despite the harsh nature of the situation, Mr. Browne views it as a great learning opportunity for students, who he encourages to, “figure out how to be intentional in these moments and think about how can you be a social justice advocate in ways that are impactful”. At the moment, it is still being determined how East, along with many other schools, will respond meaningfully. Any real action taken against the College Board could truly harm the education of students around the country, so finding an appropriate response will be critical. With no clear response to preserve and prevent attacks on our educational rights, the ability for change again falls to the students. Mr. Browne encourages students to constantly learn about the world around them, and advocate for the greater good. “Being a constant learner, educating yourself, advocating, being critical,” stated Mr. Browne, “I think the true impact and change will not come from something immediate, it will be built over time and hopefully from a mass of people who speak and vote in elections because politics have an impact on a lot of spaces that you may not realize.”

The Deion ‘Primetime’ Sanders era at CU Boulder is officially underway and expectations for the Buffaloes are at an all-time high. In just his first 5 days as the head coach of CU, Sanders made a plethora of moves. He hired Kent State head coach Sean Lewis to be his offensive coordinator and Charles Kelly as defensive coordinator. Kelly worked as the safety coach at Alabama and is known for being an elite recruiter. Although most are excited to see the success that Coach Prime can bring to CU, his decision to move on from his former head-coaching job at Jackson State has been heavily criticized. Journalist Bomani Jones was one of several people who spoke out against Sanders’ move. Jones, in an appearance on CNN, stated that Sanders “Sold a dream and then walked out on that dream.” Sanders, who helped lead Jackson State to its first winning season since 2013, doesn’t seem too upset by the criticism. He claimed that those who condemned his decision “Say things out of emotions and anger.” He hasn’t expressed any regret in his decision and seems excited for the next chapter of his coaching career. Despite leaving Jackson State in his past, Deion was followed to Colorado by six of his former players. Jackson State stars Travis Hunter and Shadeur Sanders, Deion’s son, are both following him to CU and headlined the Buffaloes’ 2022 transfer class. Hunter, who was the #1 ranked player in this year’s transfer portal, became the first five-star recruit to play with CU since 2008. As of now, 31 transfers have already committed to Colorado, with more likely to follow. Colorado’s class of transfers ranks #4 in the country, a massive improvement from last year’s class of transfers, which ranked just 78th in the country (247sports.com). Colorado isn’t only making noise in the transfer portal, however. The Buffs recently landed five-star recruit Cormani McClain, the number one cornerback of the 2023 recruiting class, as well as the twelfth-ranked overall prospect. McClain highlights Colorado’s 2023 recruits thus far, being one of 19 incoming freshmen to commit to playing for CU next year. The Buffs recruiting class this year ranks 29th nationally, a major leap from the 47th-ranked recruiting class they possessed last year. A year ago, prior to the Deion Sanders era, Colorado’s transfer class ranked just 79th nationally, eventually leading them to just a 1-11 overall record. It’s clear that players want to play for Coach Prime without even needing to be heavily recruited, and CU’s roster should continue to steadily improve as long as he’s in charge.

Signs of a failed system crack through more and more, waiting for the eyes who have not suffered it as much to notice. The reminders are constant. Every tent on the streets, every palm held out, hoping for someone to feel generous enough to drop change into it, and now as Denver finds itself in the depths of winter, every snowflake falling from the sky. It's no secret that America has an increasing number of citizens afflicted by the unforgiving effects of homelessness, and yet it continues to get swept under the rug. Many chalk it up to an issue too big and overwhelming to be solved, and while losing hope is easy to do when staring down a problem so bleak, ignoring the problem entirely only makes it worse. According to Jennifer Brown of The Colorado Sun, Denver´s population experiencing homelessness doubled after the COVID 19 pandemic, and while the pandemic had a noticeable effect on this, it's been an issue that's been festering for years. The homeless mortality rate in the Denver metro area has spiked by 94% in the last five years with the last year´s tally coming in at 173 deaths. The main cause for these deaths being drug overdoses. While this may not shock many, it isn't any less of a problem. For many Denver residents, East High School students in particular, these people are nothing more than part of the scenery on the sidewalk, a slight blemish on the city they go about their lives within. However, this doesn´t mean it's not a problem among some of those same students. East High social worker Heather Gardiner explains that she is aware of a significant amount of students experiencing homelessness in the school, and yet she gets a surprisingly small amount of reports to her. In reference to students coming to her for resources she states that, ¨Unfortunately, I don't see or have the numbers that I¨ve had before.¨ With Denver's homeless population on the rise, it seems as though the stigma around it is too. ¨We just have to know,¨ she continues, ¨I think there is a stigma, and I think sometimes students have pride and they don't want to say to a teacher that they´re homeless.¨ She encourages students to not worry about the stigma or any shaming around it. She helps run the school´s Backpack program, which hands out food to students and families in need every Wednesday in the commons. These packages include some baseline necessities for families, including groceries and snacks. Denver residents are so used to seeing homeless people on the streets that it doesn't even register with them that they are indeed real people that have backstories and very real struggles that have led them to this point in their lives. This is by no means an attempt to invalidate the struggles that the more fortunate have had to deal with because at the end of the day, suffering is suffering, no matter the extent of it, but the inconvenience of the truth doesn't make it any less real. With this winter's temperatures dropping as low as twenty-four degrees below zero, some action has been taken to shield the people from the brutal winter conditions. Locations such as the Denver Coliseum were opened as temporary shelters from the weather, and while it's a step in the right direction, it is still ultimately a bandaid for the bigger issue. Ultimately, that's all that can be done at the moment. Until action is taken by those who have the power, bandaids will have to do. Dealing with systemic issues is exhausting and can break the spirit of the people, but losing hope is what lets the people who created the problem win. Below are a few sources to help: -Denver Rescue Mission: https://denverrescuemission.org/ -Colorado Coalition for the Homeless: https://www.coloradocoalition.org/ -Sacred Heart House of Denver: https://sacredhearthouse.com/

Thus far, the 2022-23 season has been as good as ever for the Denver Nuggets. They currently stand as the top seed in the Western Conference, which has been a rarity in the franchise’s past. After an injury-filled 2021-22 season, it felt like Denver did not live up to the hype as championship contenders that they should have. They finished as the 6th seed with a 48-34 record and lost to Golden State in a 5 game first round series. However, it was a common expectation that a healthy Nuggets squad would return to being an elite team, and they have done just that. A first place finish would be the highest ever for Denver. But a regular season finish is not what matters, it's all about the playoffs and the Nuggets are yet to reach the promised land. They are three seasons removed from a Western Conference finals appearance in 2020, but have never made it further. But with the back to back MVP leading their way and arguably the best team ever put around, this might just be their year. Nikola Jokic is yet again spearheading the Nuggets’ success. He is currently averaging 25.1 points per game, 11 rebounds per game, and 9.9 assists per game, all while shooting an outstanding 62.6% from the field (ESPN). While putting up these numbers, Jokic is quickly becoming the favorite to win the MVP award this year which would make it three in a row. Having a superstar talent like Jokic has become essential to winning a championship in the modern NBA, which is good news for the top-seeded Nuggets. Denver is significantly better when Jokic is on the court, having a 120.1 offensive rating with him and a 110.9 without (statmuse). As long as this team has Jokic, they will be in the discussion to win a championship. Now that they finally have the right pieces around him, they are living up to their championship-favorite potential. Aside from Jokic, Denver has star power from both new additions and some familiar faces. Star players Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. have returned to the lineup this season after missing the entirety of last year. Though he had a slow start returning from an ACL tear, Jamal Murray has been heating up recently, averaging 20.8 points and shooting 46.4% three point shooting in his last ten games (ESPN). Murray’s firepower was crucial in their miraculous 2020 playoff run, so having him back to form could potentially be the key to winning it all. As for Porter, he is a lethal three point shooter that perfectly fits next to Jokic. He is shooting 40.5% on three pointers (ESPN) this season, which goes along great with Jokic, who can set him up at will. His defensive play has been a question mark throughout his young career, but it has recently improved. In addition to Murray and Porter, Aaron Gordon is having the best season of his career. He can defend at an elite caliber and is also playing on the offensive side with incredible efficiency. As a guy who cuts to the rim and is aggressive on rebounds, AG perfectly compliments Denver’s other stars, forming one of the best starting lineups in the league. Another key factor to the Nugget’s success this year has been the high-level play from their role players. Trading for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the offseason has proven to be a tremendous move. He shoots 47.4% from three (NBA.com), which is good enough for second in the league. Caldwell-Pope also plays high-level defense, which makes him the perfect “3&D” player in the starting lineup that Denver sought to acquire in the offseason. They also signed Bruce Brown to a team-friendly, 2 year $13.28 million contract this summer, which has brought much needed bench scoring. Brown is a reliable player that can play with both the starters and the bench. Another critical player coming off of the Nuggets’ bench is Bones Hyland. Hyland is a fan favorite that brings a spark to every game. His consistency is a bit of a concern, but when he is on top of his game, he is unstoppable. With everything finally coming together, this might just be the year for the Nuggets to take home their first ever NBA title. Surrounding the right amount of starpower and role players around arguably the best player in the league sets up for tremendous potential. A championship has never felt so close for the Nuggets, which should excite the fan base.

Millions of students across the nation have been part of Gifted and Talented (G/T) programs since they first became widespread during the 1960s. These programs are intended to provide students with more engaging and challenging work; however, they have received lots of criticism over how they operate, sparking debates in districts nationwide on how to fix them. The first glaring issue is the inequality in students enrolled in the program. According to the Civil Rights Data Collection, in Colorado, white students make up 53.4% of the student population, but over 70% of students enrolled in G/T. While G/T programs across the country are criticized for the inequality in accepted students, there are significant differences in how they are addressed. Gifted programs aren’t regulated by federal law, meaning each state’s Department of Education creates its own requirements. Not only does this create inconsistency nationwide, but there are inconsistencies even within the districts that implement programs. The G/T program at East High School exemplifies this. According to East’s G/T coordinator Anna Armitage, “East is the only high school in Denver Public Schools that has a full time gifted person on campus, so it’s building a new role, there’s no example for me to follow.” This is East’s first year with a full-time G/T coordinator. Previously, various volunteers ran the program in addition to their primary responsibilities, which most other DPS high schools still do. East student Carter Dunn agreed that East’s program was far more helpful, referring to his Advanced Learning Plan (ALP), a survey where students set personal and academic goals each school year. “At my middle school, they did not read [my ALP] and it did not have any significance. As a joke, I made my goal for science to be to win the Nobel prize.” Dunn a freshman this year, had taken Algebra 2 the previous year but was initially not allowed to jump to pre-calculus. “I was like, my math class is Algebra 2 is very easy and I do not feel it is the correct math class for me, and [Dr. Armitage] responded, pulling me out of class one day and we discussed math classes and what I would like to move to, and it turned out that … I very much want to move to pre-calculus,” Though there have been significant changes at East, work is still needed to improve the program further. “It’s very clear the way that the G/T program targets people that are privileged and that it’s an opportunity that a lot of people aren’t given,” says Lydia Lee, a sophomore in the program who went to a magnet middle school. Lee also mentioned the widely spread misconception that “gifted” students are somehow better students. “The mindset behind it of being smarter than other people not only makes it worse for people who aren’t in the program, but people who are, having the pressure of being told that you’re smarter than everyone.” According to Lee, another vital area in the G/T program that can get overlooked is the community it creates. “[G/T] provides a more stable neurodivergent community [by]...being able to be surrounded by people who understand the way that your brain functions differently.” Armitage also talked about developing the community more as an area of improvement for the program. “That’s definitely a goal for me next year, I think at the beginning of the year, there was good momentum because I worked with students in groups to write their advanced learning plan goals, and I got a lot of positive feedback about that.” Among other improvements she hopes to bring, Dr. Armitage also mentioned needing more time to ensure G/T best meets the needs of students.“For next year we need a really strong programming plan of like what gifted programming should look like at a high school, and I’m working on building that.” The changes at East are part of a more significant movement nationwide to improve G/T programs. Many states have been changing the admissions process to eliminate bias in recruitment, to varying degrees of success. Recently, some districts have been considering replacing G/T entirely, including New York City and Seattle. While G/T programs can be a valuable resource for students, the problems associated with them are still very much present. However, the best way of solving these issues is still a debate going on in more and more districts in the United States.

58 out of 70 high school students say the first thing they do after they wake up in the morning is go on their phones. Jari Roomer, writing for Medium.com says that going on your phone in the first hour of your morning can increase your stress and anxiety, giving you no time and space to start your day calmly. Big media companies like Snapchat, Instagram, and Tik Tok target vulnerable times in high school students’ lives. On the weekends: posting videos of themselves with friends or at parties. On the weekdays: aimlessly scroll through Instagram or Tik Tok brainlessly. Social media can feel nearly impossible to escape, and many kids are unwilling and unable to push themselves to delete these apps or recognize the problems at hand. Technology as a whole is almost impossible to escape: school work, jobs, and college have now entered online platforms. Rates expanded after the pandemic: zoom meetings and video calls with friends increased the use of technology by 40% (says source Pew Research Center). As technology advances, so does our time on it. According to Social Media and Suicide , cyberbullying and social media increase suicidal thoughts by 14.5%, and suicide attempts by 8.7%. At times when we are vulnerable, self-conscious, and overstimulated, social media targets our growing adolescent minds. Teens who may be getting excluded from their friend group can see that plastered onto Instagram, while kids can screenshot chats and private pictures on Snapchat making them and others aware that the picture was saved. Even when entering college, social media and the internet can be very scary. Students who choose to post pictures of themselves saying racist slurs, harming others, or even holding substances of alcohol or nicotine, put their future in jeopardy as they can easily be rejected or dropped from colleges. The internet is forever, and for young teenagers whose brains are only just developing, it is hard to keep themselves in check. In March of 2021, a former student of the Loudoun County school district was recorded saying a racial slur. After the video went viral on social media, her future was in jeopardy. The college she had applied to and was prepared to possibly attend had received multiple emails and phone calls from alumni, and current students saying how she should not be allowed to attend. She eventually withdrew her application due to advice from admissions counselors. Because of the spread of the video and the choices she made, this student's future was hurt and extremely jeopardized. With this has the continued spread of toxicity throughout children’s phones only to permeate their brains and expose them to hatred, gossip, and anxiety. While we may think that companies are aware and want to help, we turn out to be wrong. Quoted from Social Media Victims Law Center, ”Social media sites allow people to share their thoughts and feelings anonymously, making it easier to be mean or hurtful.” Looking at this loudly, social media explicitly adds features to somewhat enhance anonymous cyberbullying. While some may think that social media can be very unhealthy for adolescents and a controlling factor in teen lives, others think teens should have the control to get off of it. When a teenager has a popular social media app, they can be faced with tough decisions. Deleting a social media app can mean missing out or not talking to friends as much. Because social media companies target visible vulnerable stages so heavily, it's easy for kids to dismiss feelings of depression, loneliness, and anxiety. Thus, kids don't understand the real effect that social media has on them and others. That's why it is the job of parents and teenagers to educate others and help them understand what they can do to ensure that social media is being controlled by us and not the companies. We should choose when we want to get off the apps. There are multiple sides to social media and all need to be recognized so kids can have a healthy experience going onto apps. To teach control within the new world of technology the battle every day is vital to strong success within adolescence moving forward, especially within high schools.

Through a haze of dogmatic Instagram posts, and peremptory campaign ads, the 2020 presidential election spotlighted America’s embarrassingly dysfunctional leaders. Donald Trump and Joe Biden’s debates were more like Saturday Night Live segments than presidential discourse. Since we all obviously miss watching the Cheeto-in-Chief and Uncle Joe bicker, why not run it back and rate their most “legendary” quotes? Trump: "To be blunt, people would vote for me. They just would. Why? Maybe because I'm so good looking." Personally, I rate this quote a 10/10 because he just states what we are all thinking. If everyone had Trump’s confidence, even with a toupée and botched spray tan, the world would be a better place. New York Times , 19/9/99 "If Hillary Clinton can't satisfy her husband what makes her think she can satisfy America?" I can’t even rate this one. Twitter, 16/4/15 In Corpus Christi, Texas, Trump said to hurricane survivors “What a crowd, what a turnout.” I would rate this a 2/10, he’s just stating the obvious. This is why game show hosts should not become presidents. Texas, 29/8/17 Biden: Biden when he addresses a deceased Senator at a press conference “Jackie, are you here? Where’s Jackie?” This is a -10/10. I’ll cut him some slack because we all have rough days and accidentally mistake a person who has died (in a widely broadcasted and gruesome car crash that happened only three months ago) to be alive. White House, 09/28/22 We hold these truths to be self-evident: all men and women are created, by the, you know the, you know the thing. Relatable. I would rate this one a 9/10 because it encompasses how I feel when I attempt to speak in Spanish or try to explain physics. Texas, 03/2/20 Biden tells Missouri Senator Chuck Graham, who is in a wheelchair, to “Stand up Chuck, let 'em see you. Oh, God love you.” This one is an 11/10. Biden violated Chuck Graham without even trying. Old age has its perks; you can say things out of pocket and people cannot get mad because you are elderly. Missouri, 09/9/08 It’s astonishing. Out of 332 million people, we the American people have elected Trump and Biden to hold such a high level of responsibility and power within our federal government. First, we vote for a leader whose narcissistic behavior divides people into chaos, then when the 2020 election turns around, we desperately vote for a man that can’t walk up a flight of stairs to save his life. The worst part is, Trump and Biden’s most offensive and racist quotes are not included in this article. As midterms arrive, the upcoming election remains yet another reminder that individuals hold a great responsibility for changes made in American government through political involvement. Voting is a crucial political right citizens ought to exercise, as numerous high school students are now eligible to vote. Nevertheless, simple engagement in civic life is just as imperative to maintaining a democratic republic. Whether that be posting on Instagram, attending a protest, or simply paying attention in history class, it is the younger generation’s responsibility to use education and political rights to mold a better nation—for our future. A better nation that inhabits qualified and competent leaders. A nation where its politics are engaging rather than laughable.

Why is high school not fun anymore? For me, the answer is the race to college. Do I submit my SAT scores? What should I write my essay about? Is my class rank high enough? And why is that girl taking five AP classes? Why was I asked about my PSAT score by some random guy who knows he has a better score than I do? Does that really matter? As I’m writing this, I am entering the fifth week of junior year. (Well known as the hardest year of high school). I thought I would figure this out later in the year, maybe during the second semester with AP tests and the SAT. On my second day of AP Chemistry, former AP Chem students came into the class to talk about how to get through the course; one student said she was shaking after the first test because it was so hard; another said he had never been more confused than in that class. While this might sound crazy, that didn’t bother me. I love chemistry and even though thinking about the workload is stressful, five weeks in and I am still excited about the class. However, while this hard class isn’t so bad, some of my other classes are. Honestly, I’m taking one class partly because it’s interesting, but mostly because seniors and alumni told me I should and that it “looks good for college”. I wish I could say I don’t fall into the trap of just taking classes because they’re hard, and usually, I don’t, but in the high school culture we deal with today it’s almost impossible not to. My counselor Ms. Behmke said that while she,“ hopes that people take classes they are curious about rather than what other people are doing,” she is “concerned that it is becoming more common to take what kids think will look good on their transcript.” This could not be more true. I would love to take only classes that I'm interested in and even though for the most part I do, I wish I had the courage to take more, but I’m scared and won’t be able to compete with my peers. While taking classes that feed your soul, rather than fulfill a requirement is partly on the onus of the student, it is also a product of our rigged education system. When asked about how fair class rank is at East, Ms. Behmke said that “For sure if you take draw paint one and two it is extremely difficult and almost impossible to be in the top ten.” Mr. Hudson also added that if a student did not take Speech and Debate their freshman year, they were most likely not going to be in the top ten as their elective would not be weighted. This is excluding talented students from getting recognition as taking Speech and Debate doesn’t make someone smarter than people who don’t; however, this situation demonstrates the academic pressure on High school students today. Class rank shouldn’t matter, it’s not a measure of intelligence, but a game of credits. Should we allow this to continue?

From January 22 1973 to January 24th, 2022, our country has gone back and forth between pro/against abortion rights for women. Throughout history, men have thought that they have the right to control women's bodies. Throughout history, women have been put under a microscope and told that if chosen to have an abortion they would be called sluts, whores, monsters, and many other nasty phrases. These words have been said to all women. Nicki Minaj, singer, and rapper speaks on her abortion in the song's autobiography to talk about how it has affected her and how she wasn't ready for a baby. Minaj talks like she owes the world an explanation for the decisions she made when she was a child. It is critical to take into account the truth, women don’t get any say on what they can do with their bodies, it’s up to the state. My body and all the other girls' bodies in America have been put in the hands of our Supreme Court. After Roe V. Wade was overturned on June 24th, 2022, we protested. As has happened time and time again, girls alike gathered around the capital and in cities all across America to show these politicians that our rights are no joke. We live in a country unwilling to join together and make balanced decisions. This fight that women have to fight is real, and should not be a debate any longer. The state we live in has chosen to continue to “allow,” women to get abortions, but millions of girls outside of Colorado, will have to go through illegal procedures that very likely will put them in situations without time, into jail, or worse, death for them and the baby. To get a broader perspective on what Roe V. Wade looks like within East. Talking to the health office about how East is and has handled the overturn of Roe V. Wade, and high school sexual activity, in general, gives insight into the importance of this issue. Health Educator Sinead Maguir shares what she and the staff are doing within the health office around sexual activity, and providing kids with the support they need. A vital part of our conversation was how after Roe V. Wade was overturned, many students have wanted to make sure more than ever that they are practicing safe sex. Girls specifically are more conscious about being and getting on birth control, even if they are not sexually active. While abortion is legal in Colorado, taking into account that many girls still don't seem to feel safe or protected is important. As if their bodies have been threatened by the change in abortion rights. Devastatingly this is the consequence that every girl is faced with across the country, no matter what state they live in. According to the New York Times article One Womens Abortion Odyssey; Madison Underwood shares the quote “They're Just going to let me die?” A pregnant woman whose life was threatened when abortion was made illegal in her state of Tennessee. She talks about how her baby had been shown to have a birth defect that would put her life at risk, and the doctors could not save her. Because Abortion is illegal in Tennessee she was forced to go to Georgia at the time to get the medical help she needed. Even in situations of extreme, abortion can’t be used to save a life. Sinead also went along to tell me about the contraceptives that the health clinic offers and the services they provide. Birth control pills, rings, implants, condoms, and the shot are all forms of contraceptives for practicing safe sex. A big part of the clinic and for girls throughout East to know is that you do not need a parent's consent for help at the clinic. Because of HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), anything said to the clinic can be kept confidential and family members and others do not need to know. I also learned the clinic does not have a way to give referrals or provide aid for abortion clinics, however, they can be there for girls if they need emotional support or education on what their possible choices are with a pregnancy. After going to the health office and learning a lot about what a safe environment looks and feels like, it is safe to say that the health office has its best efforts for students and girls at East. In a year of shooting, covid, and more the overturning of Roe V. Wade has strongly urged women everywhere to speak out, make sure they get educated, and that their stories are heard. These shocking couple of months have put our country at a difficult poll, but after speaking with many girls and the clinic, it is right to say that choice is one of the most important parts of healthcare in America and girls' well-being. Sticking to this, in the East is what keeps us afloat and will show people everywhere just how important this is. East is very fortunate to be able to write about this issue and speak on it publicly. The opportunities we have at East and at the health clinic make it possible for girls to get all the support that they need and to continue talking about this important issue for all girls in our country.

Between hall passes and IDs, it seems like East has implemented many new policies to promote security over the last couple of years. As a junior, I have experienced what seems like almost 100 safe-to-tell threats, consistent bomb, and shooter threats, a SWAT investigation, and have been escorted out of the school by armed police. It is clear that East High School needs more security. In hopes to increase security at East, the school implemented its ID policy which in theory would mean nobody could get into the school without being a student or faculty member (with the exception of allowed visitors). Although the ID policy had been in the works for years, after increasing threats for multiple weeks last year they finally implemented it. Now when we walk into the school, IDs have to be shown and if you don’t have one, you have to pay $5 for a new print. However, this is not how the ID policy is actually enforced. The deans and assistant principals monitor the doors in the mornings before school starts and at the front door after lunch. However, this doesn’t account for any other time of day when I have just been let into the school without showing my ID. And even when I have forgotten my ID, it is easy to just keep walking to class without getting a new one, and it is done by almost every student I’ve seen forget an ID. If the ID policy can be avoided by East students, then it can for sure be worked around by people who are not supposed to be in the building. While a solution to this would be to ask the safety officers to monitor the doors, according to Shawne Anderson, they are employees of DPS rather than the school so the deans and assistant principals cannot ask them to do things. Along with a lack of security within access to the building, I see a lack of security among in-house East incidents. For example, at the end of last year as I was leaving the foyer at the end of the day when I was thrown into the doors of the auditorium as a fight broke out. Two girls were hitting each other, pulling hair, and even ended up on the ground. The fight ended with one of the deans pulling the girls apart and inserting herself in the middle of the fight. According to the Denver Public Schools website, “The primary function of a CSO is to provide proactive safety services for the campus to ensure students…have a secure learning environment by intervening in/and resolving any potential or actual disruptive threats or activity. However during this fight, not one of the safety officers was around. While in theory there are people in the school to monitor and prevent violence and safety issues, I only see the deans handling this rather than the safety officers. So then are these DPS officials actually ensuring safety? It seems to me that they are fulfilling the same jobs as the deans, whose jobs are not to carry-out safety procedures but they end up doing it anyway. The recent incident involving the unsubstantiated shooter threat served as an exposition of what safety measures at East really are. After being notified of a fake call from a teacher reporting a shooter in the building, Denver police showed up at East in under five minutes. But, what did the safety officers do and what could have happened in that amount of time? Based on my experience the DPS officers played no role in securing the school and it became a waiting game for the police to show up. Assistant Principal Shawne Anderson also answered in an interview that the DPS safety officers have no direct role in lockdown threats and that they actually lock down with the rest of the school. However, I was told that the safety officers were supposed to make sure school was a safe place, but if they don't have a role when things get tough, are they? This is not adequate security. East high school needs new security measures and effective personnel, what we have is not enough.

As the leaves start turning and the sun gets lazier, we can’t help but get excited for the Halloween season. But, while we gorge ourselves on candy and pumpkin seeds, it’s important to remember where Halloween started. Who do we have to thank for this amazing tradition? Halloween dates back to the Celts, who lived over 2,000 years ago in modern day Ireland, the UK, and northern France. The Celtic calendar ended on November 1st to signify the end of the harvest and the start of a dreary winter. The Celts associated winter with the death of human life and believed that the day before the new year, October 31st, was when the world of the living and the dead connected. They called this day “Samhain,” a Gaelic word pronounced “SAH-win”, and held festivities to celebrate the return of the dead back to Earth. The Celtics believed this reunion of life and death also made it easier for their Priests, also known as Druids, to make predictions about the upcoming winter. To commemorate this, giant bonfires were built to burn animals and crops as sacrifices to the Celtic deities. The Celts would adorn themselves in costumes of animal skins during the celebration, likely where modern day Halloween costumes came from. By A.D. 43, the majority of Celtic territory had been conquered by The Roman Empire. During the eighth century, Pope Gregory III established November 1st as All Saints Day. 200 years later, the church designated November 2nd as All Soul’s Day, also called All-hallows, to honor the dead. They kept many traditions of the original Celtic holiday, such as bonfires and costumes. Early America was hesitant to accept the celebration of Halloween because of the prominent Protestant belief systems present at the time. By the middle of the 19th century, Autumn festivals had a strong presence, but Halloween was celebrated sparsely around the US. It wasn’t until the later half of the 19th century that the celebration grew—partly fueled by the rise of Irish immigrants due to the Potato Famine. Taking from European traditions, America began the ritual of dressing up and going house to house to ask for money or food. This tradition would later become what we know today as “trick-or-treating.” At the turn of the century, Halloween became a much more community based holiday. Halloween parties became the most common way to celebrate the evening. A rise in censorship took most of the superstitious and religious aspects of Halloween away, in favor of a more family friendly event. The ‘20s and ‘30s saw a rise in Halloween parties and parades, accompanied by a much higher crime rate during the celebrations. By the ‘50s, community leaders had limited public celebrations due to the crime issues, thus directing the holiday more at children in their schools or homes. This is also when the practice of trick or treating was reestablished, bringing forth modern day Halloween! Without this deep history, October would just be PSAT month, thank you Celts!